Comments on: Daye-ng: Austin Daye shows promise, but can’t deliver victory over Heat

By: Dan Feldman

Dan Feldman — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 22:41:56 +0000

PCB, you're right. I missed that last steal.

I still don't think the pass was off, though.

By: detroitpcb

detroitpcb — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 14:03:09 +0000

@Feldman

Even Special K noted that the pass was a little off. And what about that steal Daye made on LeBron at the end of the half – conveniently forgetting that play, are you?

And the last thing Daye will need is an undersized erratic scorer to play with him & Daye & JJ. Keeping T-Mac would be good. Drafting a point guard would be good. Trading for a big man with a low post game would be good. drafting a shot blocker would be good. But the last thing they need is Ben Gordon jacking up bad shots.

By: Dan Feldman

Dan Feldman — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 17:19:24 +0000

Fennis, I think you misunderstood my point on Gordon becoming the centerpiece. I’m talking about in a year or two when Monroe, Jerebko and Daye are the focal point of the team. They’ll need a big-time scorer to play with them, at least until Daye develops much more. This year, you’re absolutely right. With Gordon, Stuckey, Villanueva, Bynum, Prince, etc., even if it’s not their ideal game individually, they collectively benefit from moving the ball.

By: Dan Feldman

Dan Feldman — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 17:16:56 +0000

PCB, you're the only person on the planet who thinks the pass was a little off. It was perfect.

Playing good defense is a valuable skill. Playing better defense than your opponent expects is also a valuable skill. Daye has the latter, but it's not sustainable. The first three times LeBron made a play with Daye guarding him, Daye forced a Charlie Villanueva steal then LeBron missed two careless jumpers (which he can make against poorer defenders). I, too, noticed Daye's defense, so I tracked what he did. After that, LeBron made two layups where Daye looked helpless and two jumpers that would have been difficult for most players, but not LeBron. The only other time Daye guarded LeBron was when Prince rested the first few minutes of the fourth quarter, when LeBron made his only shot, a short jumper. So, after those first three stops, LeBron made 5-of-5 shots over Daye. Prince isn't a good defender right now. He just isn't as bad as LeBron initially thought.

Your defensive lineup doesn't make sense. The Heat had Eddie House, Mike Miller, James Jones, LeBron James and Joel Anthony in the game. One of Wilcox or Monroe can guard Anthony. Who does the other guard?

By: Dan Feldman

Dan Feldman — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 17:02:00 +0000

Patrick, I don’t think the officiating is biased in favor of LeBron. He’s built like a Silverado and moves like a Corvette. It’s extremely difficult to stop him without fouling.

By: Dan Feldman

Dan Feldman — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 17:00:11 +0000

Fennis, I don’t think the calls were biased, but you make a good point about McGrady being even-keeled. The Pistons’ whining always seemed to compound as everyone did it.

By: Fennis

Fennis — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 15:32:33 +0000

@DF

We’ve noted Daye’s deficiencies, but I agree that it’s certainly encouraging to see a young guy who embraces the crunch time shot. We haven’t had that in since Mr. Big Shot who wasn’t so big by the time he left. Stuckey has a lot of heart and doesn’t shy away from the spotlight, but he doesn’t revel in it like Daye. This is promising.

The only thing I’d quibble with is your assessment of Gordon and the idea that we need an “offensive centerpiece” this year. My sense is that we play our absolute best when we move the ball on offense – a fundamental that does not appear to be a part of Gordon’s basketball DNA. When Gordon becomes the centerpiece it means everyone else is standing around as he dribbles, and dribbles, and dribbles to ultimately either take a bad shot that inexplicably goes it or turn the ball over due to his impaired court vision. Unless you’re a superstar talent putting up 35-40 every few nights that is not winning basketball. It’s certainly not team basketball. Without a superstar, the Pistons have to play a team game on both sides of the ball and I agree that this style is not conducive to Gordon’s strengths. The question then is whether the Pistons of ’10-’11 are better playing team ball on O without a centerpiece or with BG doing his me against the world show. I gotta go with the former.

By: detroitpcb

detroitpcb — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 13:35:22 +0000

The young fella just missed that dunk. Pass was a little off but he should not have let that little adjustment bother him, nor did the foul cause the miss. He just hit the rim with the ball. Needs to get stronger at the rim but that will be there by next year.

Daye had some really poor turnovers early in the game and also missed some open shots but he played some great defense on LeBron. On 8 possessions against Daye LeBron made two easy layups driving right (no help came for Daye), he made two difficult outside shots, he missed two shots, and Daye stripped him twice – not a bad showing against the King. Daye played LeBron better than prince did. Speaking of Prince – this easily could have been the Piston’s game if he hits some shots. He was missing wide open looks all night.

Gordon is the biggest dunce on the team. Jumping early on Eddie House. And you want to talk about the great game he had – but just before Daye hit that triple to put the Pistons up Gordon missed an easy shot in the clutch – i would much rather have Austin Daye shooting the ball at the end of the game than Ben Gordon.

That was a very nice option on that final play drawn up by Q. But on defense i don’t even have Gordon in the game – I go with T-Mac, Prince, Daye, Wilcox, and Monroe.

Daye is ready for a bigger role and the more situations like last night he is put in, the better.

By: Alan

Alan — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 04:21:47 +0000

Foul or not, Daye’s got convert. Also, Prince missed a potential game winner and Gordon and Villanueva missed shots in their wheelhouse near the end too. They’re playing hard and Kuester’s right, they’re a better team than their record shows (if only slightly).

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